The Eighth International Conference on eLearning
for Knowledge-Based Society
"eLearning, mLearning, uLearning, and Social Networking"
February 23 - 24, 2012
eLearning to Increase the Quality of Life for
Senior Citizens
By
Piya Hirunwat, Ph.D.
Research Institute of Assumption University (RIAU)
Assumption University – Suvarnabhumi Campus
88 Moo 8, CL Building, 16th Floor,
Bang Na – Trad Road, Km. 26
Bang Sao Thong, Samut Prakan 10540
Thailand
peterhirunwat@hotmail.com
1
Introduction
Beginning of Aging Population
1. Increasing aging population in many countries around the world.
2. Most significant increasing number of aging populations in
developing countries, including Thailand.
2
Introduction
Becoming of Aging Population in Thailand
- In Thailand, the life expectation of females is greater than the life
expectancy of males.
- Many elders in Thai society have aging illness with physical
limitation.
- It is necessary to provide a good care for elders.
- Thai government should support the elders in the society to have a
good health according to
1. Senior care principles of the United Nations
2. Social and quality of life per the policy of the Ministry of
3
Public Health.
Introduction
Types of Seniors
1.) Healthy elders
2.) Elders suffering from illnesses
4
Needs of Research
- In order to improve the quality of seniors’ life, eLearning
helps transform the classical way of paper-based learning to
electronic knowledge-based learning center.
- This research was focused on eLearning of both healthy
aging seniors and ones who suffer from aging illness.
5
Research Scope and Limitation
- Mainly in Thailand
- Elders in other countries (Borderless communication)
6
Benefits of Study
- eLearning via the Internet or wireless
communications has become significantly important
in today’s society.
- eLearning of new senior care knowledge greatly
increases the quality of life for both healthy seniors
to live happily, and the ones who suffer from aging
illness to explore an affordable quality care and
treatment.
7
Theories Related to the Study
Transformation from Traditional Learning to eLearning
Types of Learning Changes
Changes
Tradition
Transition
Transformation
Motivation for Change
Better, Faster, Cost-saving
Solve a problem
Survival, Environment &
World changes, Breakthrough
needed
Degree of Change
Incremental improvements
Transition from old to
new
Revolutionary, Necessary
Manage and control
processes
Design and implement
the plan
Whole system change
Destination
Limited to improving wrong
things
To complete project
Continually transforming, No
end state
Change Required
Improvement of skills,
Practices and performance;
often Limited to focusing on
individual performance
rather than whole system
Controlled process
Senior leadership committed
to new thinking, learning and
actions; Coaching from
outside
Improvements limited
Changes limited
Sustainable change (with
leadership and continual
learning of new
action/system)
Actions
Outcomes
8
Literature Reviews
A. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) of eLearning
- Concept of building the organization of what works,
rather than trying to fix what does not.
- AI is focused on how to create more the exceptional
performance occurring when the core strengths are
aligned. It opens the doors to the new opportunities or possibilities.
- AI has been used extensively to foster change in the health care systems.
- Sharing what has changed, what is going to be better and/or what could do more to
reach our desire future. All these factors help sustain a positive change.
Main Reasons of AI Application
- eLearning is more productive learning for seniors.
- Elders can choose any knowledge topics that they want/need to learn the most as
suitable as their learning skills.
- Cost of eLearning is much lower than traditional way of learning i.e. traveling to attend
a seminar, or cost of purchased hardcopy books. Additionally, they can learn anywhere
and anytime that they want.
- Outcomes of appreciative inquiry-based eLearning are more than expected of many
new perspectives for senior care knowledge to choose from.
- The best thing is that the eLearning supports the appreciative inquiry-based problem
solving. In stead of disregarding those problems, they can learn and have a new vision
of turning the current identified problems into challenges, the current identified strengths
into sustainable competitive advantages or competencies, the current identified
weaknesses and threats into new potential opportunities, and the current identified
opportunities into new aspirations.
9
Literature Reviews
B. Transformation
- Transformation is the creation and change of a whole new form, function, or
structure.
- To transform is to create something new that has never existed before, and could not
be predicted from the past.
- Transformation is also a “change” in mindset that is based on learning a system of
profound knowledge, and taking actions based on leading with knowledge and
courage.
- The critical reason of transformation for senior eLearning is that there are
significantly increasing number of seniors in Thailand, and Thailand has become the
aging society. Therefore, eLearning supports these changes.
1. Awakening
2. Vision Creation
3. Transformation Method
6. Intention
4. Learning of Profound Knowledge and
Continued Learning
5. Integrated
10
Conceptual Framework
Figure 4.1: Conceptual Framework of Senior eLearning Relationships
Source: Vate-U-Lan, Poonsri, Ph.D. (2008), mLearning by Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
11
Conceptual Framework (Cont.)
Three Types of Learning:
1.) Formal Learning (การศึกษาในระบบ)
The formal learning is the actual formal academic curriculum,
mostly in the classroom of education institutions.
2.) Non-formal Learning (การศึกษานอกระบบ)
The non-formal learning is not-in-system education that is
more flexible in terms of the study materials and academic curriculum
adapted per needs, problems, and conditions of each individual. The
learners are from outside of the education institutions.
3.) Informal Learning (การเรี ยนรู้ตามอัธยาศัย)
The informal learning is the most flexible ways of learning by
themselves outside the education facility, since each individual can
learn by themselves at any time or anywhere they want to learn, and
they can choose their preferred learning topics.
12
Conceptual Framework (Cont.)
As shown in Figure 4.1, the seniors can choose
many ways of their learning.
The informal learning (การเรี ยนรู้ตามอัธยาศัย) is the best
suitable one that they can learn about the topics of
how to improve their physical body, mind, and
soul/spirit related the total human society system as
well as global system.
13
Conceptual Framework (Cont.)
1
2
3
1.) Distance Learning
(dLearning)
It is a learning from long distance.
2.) Electronic Learning
(eLearning)
It is a subset of dLearning by using
electronic computing contents as a medium.
3.) Mobile Learning
(mLearning)
It is a subset eLearning and dLearning. It is
also similar to eLearning, but the difference
of mLearning is that the learners can learn
from their personal portable devices (e.g.
iPad, iPod, mobile phone) while they are
travelling (e.g. on the bus or airplane), and
they can choose to learn at anytime and
anywhere they want.
14
Research Methodology
Qualitative Methodology
Mainly based on qualitative methodology of the eLearning studies
of Poonsri Vate-U-Lan, Ph.D., a graduate level lecturer of Assumption
University for College of Internet Distance Education.
Quantitative Methodology
The quantitative data was supported by focus group discussion
with participatory action research primarily based on the study of “Elderly
Volunteer’s Participation on Elderly Group for Health Promotion and Health
Protection on Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province through Participatory
Action Research” conducted by Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat
University.
15
Research Findings
- Electronic information technology in Thailand has been significantly
improved for the last 13 years.
- The Internet is a way of borderless communications for knowledge,
and the new generations are utilizing the eLearning from their
communication gadgets.
- At the same time, the seniors have realized the usefulness of
eLearning via new communication devices. The seniors can search
for much helpful senior care knowledge to improve their quality of life
and make them happy.
16
Research Findings (Cont.)
Advance
Technology,
Lower
Cost
of
New
Gadgets
With more advance technology and lower cost of new
communication devices, the seniors can afford to purchase these
new gadgets for their eLearning of senior care. E.g. Personal digital
assistants
(PDAs),
Smart
phones,
iPods,
iPads
17
Research Findings (Cont.)
eLearning of Senior Care Knowledge
eLearning helps seniors quickly access to the useful senior care information.
They can learn about new products/supplies of senior care. E.g. Learning how to use
the blood pressure unit or necessary medical equipment/supplies.
Senior Care’s Quality of Life Improvement
From the studies of many education institutions, the characteristics of
eLearning are substantially different from the other ways of learning, since it has many
hybrid modes as follows:
3.1 Enhancing
eLearning motivates learning at anytime and anywhere, as well as promotes
actual learning. The seniors can communicate to anyone at anytime. E.g. The seniors
can contact their friends and relatives at anytime to discuss about senior care, and
share their new knowledge via SMS, e-mail and social networking.
18
Research Findings (Cont.)
3.2 Exciting
eLearning makes seniors more excited to learning about new things. Instead of
learning by reading senior care paper articles, the seniors can learn much senior care
knowledge from YouTube, the largest worldwide video-sharing community, on the
Internet.
3.3 Engaging
Once the seniors attract to learn and explore new knowledge, the seniors can
subscribe to the senior community and access the community website at anywhere and
anytime. The engagement of senior community leads to collaboration and appeal for
further studies and productive research knowledge.
3.4 Enjoyable
eLearning makes knowledge delight to learn. The regular learning is cut-anddried materials, but eLearning is more enjoyable with interactive multimedia features.
19
Research Findings (Cont.)
3.5 Entertaining
Entertainment promotes and supports eLearning in many ways.
3.5.1 Senior care knowledge information combined with entertainment is called “Senior
InfoTainment.”
3.5.2 Senior care training plus entertainment is known as “Senior Care EnterTraining.”
3.5.3 Senior care education and entertainment is the most well-known as “Senior
EduTainment.”
3.5.4 The new concept of ethical senior care with entertainment is to be called “Senior
EthicTainment.”
3.6 Embedding
eLearning makes a convenient learning environment. E.g. The seniors who are
working or having their own business operations can search and learn the new
knowledge from eLearning, while working or taking care of their business operations.
3.7 Empowering
eLearning empowers seniors to learn many useful knowledge. The seniors
have their power to choose the knowledge topics that they are interested to learn.
20
Research Findings (Cont.)
3.8 Efficiency
eLearning makes an effective learning of many useful knowledge. The seniors
spend the same or less time to obtain more knowledge. Moreover, the cost of eLearning
is less expensive than other ways of learning.
3.9 Explicit Contents
eLearning makes learning with clear purpose and structure. The flexibility and
customization of eLearning create the appropriate contents with understandable purpose
and structure.
3.10 Extensibility
eLearning expands the outcomes and changes/adapts according to the
learners’ environment along with future new technology. The extension of eLearning is
leading to the sustainable learning of knowledge-based society.
21
Research Findings (Cont.)
Limitations of eLearning
1. eLearning depends on the communication gadgets.
2. The specifications of device such software or application are
important to support the new features.
3. The new advance technology gadgets are normally expensive.
4. The cost of access either wired or wirelesses coupled with
upgradable choices are to be considered.
22
Research Findings (Cont.)
Recommendations
1. The eLearning of seniors using new advance information technology is one of the most
important achievements on improving the quality of their life.
2. The further development and learning of information systems suitable for senior care
industry is recommended.
3. The seniors should carefully explore, learn and choose ones with most appropriate or
good to high quality.
4. The seniors should concern about the accuracy of data that can be reliable.
5. If there is any information related to the financial data of seniors, the data security is the
most important concern. The seniors should be careful when providing their financial data
to any third party. E.g. If they would like to subscribe an online database of senior care,
they should make sure that the data are from good reputation and reliable sources, since
there are plenty of information available on the Internet.
6. The senior care knowledge management center (KMC) can be developed with the
electronic information technology via the Internet to provide the useful senior care
knowledge for the family members and other interesting stakeholders in the society. It is
critical to the health of elders in Thailand as well as global society on providing the high 23
quality senior care and knowledge-based center.
References
[1] Cooperrider, D. L. & Avital, M. (2004). Advances in Appreciative Inquiry Volume 1:
Constructive Discourse and Human Organization, Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier Ltd.
[2] Cummings, T. G. and Worley, C. G. (2005). Organization Development and Change
(8th Edition), Ohio, U.S.A.: Thompson South-Western.
[3] Daszko, Marcia and Sheinberg, Sheila, Ph.D. (2005). Survival Is Optional: Only
Leaders with New Knowledge Can Lead the Transformation, Marcia Daszoko &
Associates, California, U.S.A.
[4] Lewenson, S. B. and Truglio-Londrigan, M. (2008). Decision-making in Nursing:
Thoughtful Approaches for Practice, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Jones and Bartlette
Publishers.
[5] O’Brien, James A. (2002). Management Information Systems: Managing
Information Technology in the E-Business Enterprise (5th Edition), New York, U.S.A.:
McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
[6] Orem, S. L., Binkert, J. and Clancy A. L. (2007). Appreciative Coaching: A Positive
Process for Change, California, U.S.A.: Jossey-Bass.
[7] Threerapuncharoen, Noppawan, Assoc. Prof. (2011). Elderly Volunteer’s
Participation on Elderly Group for Health Promotion and Health Protection on
Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Province Through Participatory Action Research, Phra Nakhon
Si Ayutthaya, Thailand: Tienwattana Printing
[8] Vate-U-Lan, Poonsri, Ph.D. (2008), mLearning by Personal Digital Assistant (PDAs),
[Online]. Available:
https://thaimlearning.blogspot.com/2008/07/blogpost.html?utm_source=feedburner&ut
m_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+M-learningAndU-learning+%28eLearning+M-learning++and+U-learning+in+Thailand%29
24
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank my parents for their inspiration of
eLearning for seniors. The eLearning is one of the ways to
improve the quality of life for senior care in the society.
Additionally, Prof. Dr. Srisakdi Charmonman provided
many useful suggestions about the importance of eLearning
that would help Thai aging society and many in other
countries around the world.
25
Questions & Answers
26
Thank You
27